Electrical oil heating device



Oct. 6, 1959 uw. l.. MELTON 2,907,861

ELECTRICAL OIL HEATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25,. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTQRNEY 0d 6, 1959 w. l.. MELTON ELECTRICAL on. HEATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1957 mm@ E. Mv L.. Mw M` u United States Patent p s 2,907,861 ELECTRICAL oIL HEATING DEVICE william L. Melton, suman city, Tex. Application November 25, 1957, Serial No. `698,528 zclaims. (CI. 219-43) This invention relates to devicesV for heating'oil and particularly those which are used in the eld for heating crude oil from wells, field or storage tanks and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is the cardinal object of the invention to provide a retort device of the type as shown and described in my prior Patent #2,299,401, issued October 20, 1942, but embodying a heater unit which embodies a heater element which is centrally and vertically located with respect to a plurality of test tube holding chambers to more effectively and evenly heat oil contained in test tubes supported in the heater unit of the device.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide an oil heating device in which the main body of the unit is formed from a metal of high coecient of heat conductivity, such as an aluminum alloy, which in conjunction with copper crucibles for support of test tubes for containing oil, insures a rapid and even heating of the oil.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a heater unit which will he of rugged'construction and free from liability of damage incident to rough usage in traveling and in one form of which may `be constructed so as to be explosive proof.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a perspective` view of the heating unit a portion of the housing being broken away and the closure for the top thereof in open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the unit, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, but with the closure in operative position.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a Vertical section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3, the closure cover being removed. I

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modied form of heating unit embodying structure rendering the device explosive proof.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 7 7 of Figure 6.

The heater unit 10 illustrated in all iigures comprises a sheet metal housing 11, having an annular iiange 12 at the bottom thereof, which together with a removable bottom closure plate 13 aiords a stable support for the unit. 'Ilhe top wall of the housing 11 has an annular collar 14 for support of the heating unit 15, as will be described hereinafter. The top wall `of the housing also has la hinged closure 16 which may be held in closed position by means of a suitable catch 17, and as clearly shown in Figure 2, the closure 16 lies spaced above the annular collar 14 and the open ends of the crucibles, accommodating release of fumes which may be developed from oil being heated.

'of like construction and comprises al retort body formed of a metal of high coecient of heat conductivity," an aluminum alloy having beenv employed. In the present instance, the body of the heater-units 15 are formed with fourfwell chambers 23, arranged iriarcuate formation, of similar diameter and depth, being vsemi-circular in cross section Iand of tapered formation toward the lower ends thereof. The walls deiining the exterior of these chambers are of substantial thickness, the lower ends thereof being connected by a bottom wall 24, which is medially apertured and interiorly threaded for threadedly receiving the plug portion of the heat-ing coil 21. The coil is preferably of cylindrical construction and of a length greater than half the length of the wells 23, and since the heating coil is mounted centrally and vertically of the chambers 23, a very etlcient and even heat is distributed to all of the test tubes contained in the chambers. The coil 21 Ais provided with a binding post 25 for securement of a conductor 26 electrically connected with a binding post 27 of the thermostatic switch 20.

lWithin each well 23 there is suitably secured a copper crucible 28 of elongated form and having a contour similar to the test tube employed for heating the oil, the crucibles being secured in respective openings 29 formed in the top Wall 30 of the heating unit. As best seen in Figures l, 2 and 6, the top wall 30 of the heater unit is provided with an annular ange 30 integrally formed therewith and overlies and is connected to the inner periphery of the collar 14.

In the explosive proof type of heater shown in Figures 5 to 7 of the drawings, a housing 31 is employed for enclosing all electrical parts, and as here shown com prises a main hollow annular casting 32, centrally apertured and through which the threaded plug of the heating coil 21 may pass to engage the threaded aperture of the base 2-4 of the heating unit 15. The casting 32 is provided with an interiorly threaded nipple 33 into which the threaded end 34 of the outlet 22 is engaged. The casting 32 further has an annular ange 35 exteriorly threaded to Ireceive a closure cap 36. Thus if any sparks or short circuiting occurs, such would be conlned within the housing 31. Any suitable insulating material may be disposed within the housings 11 and around the heater unit 15.

It should be noted that in both forms of the device, the heating coil 21 is positioned medially of the heating unit 15 in close proximity to the copper crucibles 28 and due to the high heat conductivity between the retort body and the copper crucibles, oil in the test tubes supported in the crucibles will lhe rapidly and uniformly heated to a temperature controlled by the setting of the thermostatic switch 20, which Iis associated with a suitable source of current, such yas the battery of a motor vehicle or otherwise. It will lbe appreciated that the tapered formation of the crucibles 28 is instrumental in the rapid heating of oil in the lower part of the test tubes; and that provision of a closure 16 as shown and `described will permit release of any fumes into the of .the device, this is :by Way `of illustration only, and,v I'co'nsider as "iny lown all such mdications in cn` structions, as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims. v Y f- {"lam: f

1. h`e21tingv apparatus, for heating test tubes ycontaining oil comprising a housing having an upright encirclingwall, atop wall having an annular collar and a bottoni wall, a heater" unit within said housing and sus'- pendedlfrom said top Wall, said heater unit being forrned frorn Ia-rnetal of high coeflicient of heat conductivity, said heating unithaving a plurality of vertically disposed elongated tapered chambers arranged in arcuate forrna'- tionwandipositioned medially of the housing, an elon- `jg'atelfftaperfed copper cruciblenixedV in each chamber for supfpdf'ffa' tesmube', n eidngafed heating Ceiiwithin Vthe housingpositioned' centrallyzand vertically o fsaid coppefcrucibleQsaid heating coil being of a llength greater than one-hali'the :length of said copper cribles,

a closure `for the ltop wall so constructed as to be in spaced position above said annularcollar and open ends of the vcrucibles wheny said closureis closed and means` within the housing for supplying controlled electrical energy to said heating coil. Y f

2. The structure of claim l, wiherein a housing is secured upon the interior of the bottom wall of the housing for support of the heating unit and enclosing 2,487,161.79. Melton Nov. 8, 1949 the means for supplying electrical energy to said heating 

